Team CLRT
by Not A Bagel
Summary: A team of OCs hailing from all over Remnant CLRT (Claret) will find adventure at Beacon, the world's premiere school for hunting Grimm. Enemies await the burgeoning friends from unlikely sources, but will they be able to achieve the success they dream of while fighting for what's right?
1. Escape from the City

The bolts and rivets danced at her fingertips, floating around her when not needed – shrinking and growing on a whim. She grinned as the monolithic metal spire was doused in heat – thousands of degrees melting away the unforgiving steel. The spire began to melt into the shape she desired hammers flew to her hands as...

The screech of an alarm roused her from the familiar dream. She grumbled, turning off the alarm.

_I have to get some sleep; I'm up early to meet Clitus._

She let her eyes close again. She sat bolt upright – staring at the heavily modified alarm clock.

8:34 AM.

Liara bolted to her room's door. "I'm screwed, I'm screwed, I'm screwed." Was all that she could say. She ripped open the door and headed for the stairs, pausing as she shivered.

_I'm only wearing panties._

8:36AM.

The lanky shut in sprinted out the door, her long purple hair fanned out behind her – drawing looks from strangers as she passed by. The teenager had to fight to keeper her glasses in place, the downhill run doing her no favours. The cold air seemed to sap the energy from her legs and steal her breath.

Her scroll buzzed, begging for her attention. She jogged on the spot at the intersection as she fished it out of her hoodie. A voice message – she hit play, still annoyed at herself for sleeping in.

"Hey Liara, it's me! Just letting you know we can see the town now – so I should be home at about 8:45. If I have to drag you out of your room when I get home; I'm going to take your tools. Anyway – I'll see you soon – gotta go!" She sighed, torn between panic and happiness.

It'd been too long since she'd heard from Clitus – but knowing he was so close and that she had almost ruined his day sent a pain through her chest. She ran again, briefly considering making use of the bulky back she wore.

_Best not, the police won't give me a slap in the wrist this time._

She settled for her breakneck run instead. The town was beginning to awake from sleep, cars filling roads and fishing ships heading out to the blue sea. Apartments passed her in a blur as her feet thudded against the tarmac. The early signs of cramp made themselves known – her skinny legs were more used to sitting at a workbench than running after all.

For the first time the teenager was glad she lived on the huge hill that Verolfin was built around. It meant that she had a straight shot to the docks as opposed to having to navigate through the maze of housing that surrounded this main street.

She could see a massive ship in the civilian dock – probably the ship from Atlas that Clitus was on. A few hundred steps carried her across the Market Road, dodging an angry police officer in the process. She bent over in exhaustion, huffing for breath that she couldn't catch.

Her nose was bombarded by the smell of fresh fish, she stumbled forward, her cheeks read from exertion. As she made it to dock entrance she quickly checked her scroll.

8:50AM – _Uh Oh_

Worse, there was a voice message from Clitus waiting for her.

"I have never seen you run so fast, it's almost like you had something important to do Purps."

She frowned at the scroll only to turn around and find herself face to neck with her best friend.

"Long time no see, Liara." He grinned

She hugged him hard, almost leaping at him in her eagerness.

He did his best not to stumble, but embraced her with his usual dumb grin.

"Wow, physical contact? Liara, you feeling alright?" He chuckled.

"Shut up Clitus, I missed you." She mumbled into his shirt.

"I missed you too Liara, I really did." He replied stroking her hair.

She leaned back and locked eyes with him. They both paused, lost in their own private little world. Liara got on her toes, her head moving closer to his – Clitus' hand moved up her back. And then...

"No way, you actually finished it!" He spun her round so quickly she barely had time to react beyond a squeak.

_What was I just about to do? I can't push him away like that, you idiot! Idiot!_

"... Yeah, just last night."

"Do I actually get to know what it does now?"

Clitus was fidgeting, something that didn't suit him.

She flung a haughty look over her shoulder."You owe me lunch, since I managed to wake up in time." Was her only reply.

"Yeah that was the bet wasn't it?" He scratched the back of his head. When she turned back to face him she noticed that some of the blonde was showing through the red dye. His dad must not have let him renew it while he was away.

"But I think I won that bet." He grinned with pride.

He never got to win when they matched wits – so a little gloating wouldn't be so bad.

"I was up! I made it!" She pouted.

"Then why is your hair not tied up?"

_Crap._

* * *

><p>The two began to walk back towards the hill – most of the diners were on Main Street anyways.<p>

A comfortable silence floated between them –Liara smiled now that everything was right in the world. Clitus was home, the sun was shining and they only had 24 hours until they left for Beacon.

Clitus couldn't help but sneak glances at his friend, seeing her so animated was a rare joy. But instead of just ogling, he took in the minor details most people would not.

_She's lost more weight, bags under her eyes – even paler than before. She probably hasn't left her room since I last saw her. I should never have left._

"Your hair looks nice down, why do you insist on that ponytail anyway?" He asked nonchalantly.

Liara stopped by the only mechanic shop in town, he knew she wasn't ignoring him; Liara just moved at her own pace. No matter who you were she would answer when she was sure of what she would say and how she would say it.

"It keeps it out the way. I could get it caught in a clamp if I don't tie it back." She said simply. She knelt down in order to peer into the dusty window. Clitus leant on the streetlight.

"So I was thinking we should eat at Vert's. Say goodbye Y'know?" He looked back out to the sea as he spoke.

Liara grunted in answer.

"How has he been anyway?"

Liara opened her mouth to answer, but she hesitated, which was all the confirmation he needed.

"Did you even leave your house these past 3 months Liara?" He disappointment in his voice hit her like a sledgehammer and she fidgeted with her hair rather than look at him.

"I got caught up in work. I just wanted everything to be perfect when we leave." She pointedly looked away as they walked the familiar route to the diner.

He tapped her shoulder and she spun to look into his warm brown eyes filled with concern. She could hardly bear seeing him worry like this.

"I know you want Beacon to be perfect, I know you want your weapon to be perfect." He began

"Reign." She corrected.

"Reign?"

"It's called Reign."

"You want Reign to be perfect." He shrugged off the interruption. "But we talked about this, you can't keep working yourself to the bone."

"But I got us so much information and I finished Reign and I found out some good news and I worked out how best to fight a Beowolf in an urban environment." She rambled as she began to fidget more intensely. Clitus just put a hand on each of her shoulders.

_I shouldn't have left her._

"You know that I'm right." Clitus said. He wasn't one for lecturing, but Liara had promised him.

_She wont always have me there to look after her, 3 months of worrying all proven right._

"I'm sorry." She muttered.

_Did I just get a sincere apology?_

He shook his head slightly, thinking too hard would get him nowhere, best to just move on. "Don't worry, I'll get you back up to full strength soon. Vert will just have to cook up seconds." They laughed as they walked in the door. The place was always deserted at this time.

They took their seats at 10:30AM.

* * *

><p>She smiled as Clitus cracked his knuckles and told her all about Atlas and his father. He had been touring the barracks again, they had hunted together, trained together. Typical Atlasian macho bonding he said.<p>

Liara rolled her eyes at that, Clitus and his father had never seen eye to eye since he left the cadets. When he moved in with his mother to attend Haven - the strained relationship has turned outright hostile.

_Maybe that was why he went? To show his Dad he was still the Atlesian badass he was raised to be? Or maybe he was just sick of playing babysitter?_

_No, no, no, Clitus would never think like that. Stop being self destructive!_

He asked what she had been so engrossed in and pretended to be knowledgable about the advanced aerodynamics propulsion theories she had to master in order to build Reign. She laughed at his jokes, blushed at his compliments and felt like the Liara who had graduated instead of the Summer shut-in.

Then Clitus slid across his scroll so that she could see his terrible photography. Skypscrapers framed picture after picture of the base and Imperator estates. She shivered at the thought of one day being a face among the crowds of people that inevitably invaded each photo.

_Maybe one day I won't be so scared of crowds; then we can both go to Atlas.  
><em>

A warm smile spread across her cheeks.

* * *

><p>Clitus had just begun to tell what seemed like the 300th story of his Dad's hunting trips when the most tantalising smell stopped him in his tracks. The kitchen door was pushed open by the back of one Vert Mignolet. Liara joined him in wistfully gazing at the stack of dishes cradled in the folds of his arms; both teens salivating at the sight of the two huge haunches being brought towards them.<p>

Liara leaned over to Clitus; "Did you order this?" She hissed.

"No, I guess you didn't decide to splash out and surprise me?" He looked at her in confusion.

"I'm not as rich as some people!"

"Hey, I resent that!"

Before Liara could press the issue, she was interrupted by a very dramatic chef.

"Friends! I am hearing you will not be coming to see old Vert after today. My little Loudmouth and Tinkerbell are both going away; leaving their old friend alone!" Each word punctuated by a swaying motion, it was miracle the haunches did not end up on the floor.

"Vert..." Clitus began.

Liara simply retreated inward in embarrassment – clutching herself and looking anywhere but at the diner's owner.

"But fear not! Your custom has brought me a many a smile! So it is only natural that I; Vert Mignolet; grilling machine, grant you the greatest of feasts in order to cherish what little time remains! So your lunch today will be my magnum opis – I shall shower you with culinary glory so that you will tell your purple haired muscular children of the days when Vert guided you together!" He finished his monologue with a flourish - the two haunches gracefully sliding across the polished wood in front of the two patrons.

With a grin he spun away to the kitchen, Clitus' laughter and Liara's slight smile following him.

"Well I guess if he puts it like that... Bon appetite?" He picked up the sharp knife with ill concealed glee. Liara nodded and the two attacked their lunch with the ferocity of a thousand ursa.

They had barely taken their second bite when two glasses filled with claret wine were positioned between them. Liara looked at the chef with a in horror while Clitus simply reminded him;"Uh Vert, you know we're."

"Shush, this is my leaving present to you two. Liara, Clitus; enjoy my finest. I will tell no one."

"It's not even 11AM" Liara lifted the glass with a smirk and offered it to her as a toast. She stared into the deep red, tapping her nails on the side.

"It's not like we'll make a habit of it Liara." She looked up into his stupid grin. That smile got her into so much trouble, but she somehow caved every single glasses clinked together and Clitus offered the toast. "To new adventures!"

Liara finished, "With old friends!" They raised their glasses to their host a sone before taking a gulp each. Clitus coughed slightly at the taste but Liara savoured every drop and even asked for another glass. Clitus took to calling her Lady Gothe for the rest of the meal, but both Liara and Clitus agreed that no meal had ever tasted so good.


	2. Food Fight

Clitus found his eyelids dropping, a warm content feeling radiating out from his stomach. The restaurant had filled up slightly – Faunus and human workers filing in for an early lunch break mingled with families laden with shopping bags. It felt like forever since he had last been to Vert's and it had definitely been forever since he could people watch like this.

A Faunus couple caught his eye, hands intertwining casually on the table they looked perfectly at peace. Smiling profusely, the man wiped at his mouth with a napkin only for it to snag on his fang. Clitus smiled as his date struggled to contain her giggles, her strange ears wiggling uncontrollably as if she were oblivious to the stares other patrons threw their way, glowers and backhanded remarks were lost in the haze of romance. It wasn't all bad, Clitus noted a few patrons smiling fondly at the antics of the pair.

Liara followed his gaze, but for different reasons. She craved the intimacy of the couple, the ability to be so relaxed with another person, the ability to be so carefree in public, she spent hours dreaming of a day when that would be her. Clitus' attention continued to wander, allowing Liara to shut her eyes and sink into the booth. It was so nice to relax for a little while. She almost felt like she was floating. Liara's head hit the back of her seat with a soft thud.

Clitus couldn't help but grin; she had spent their time apart working almost nonstop, regardless of the toll it took on her body. A little rest would do her a world of good he reasoned.

Vert waddled over to their table, his stomach inflating as he prepared to gush over 'his cute little Liara'. Clitus shushed the man immediately, pointing to the old bar with the same finger. The big chef reluctantly retreated, politely wishing a guest a good afternoon as he did so. Liara was sound asleep, so he balled up the latest military jacket he had received from his father and let Liara use it as a makeshift pillow.

The lanky introvert now lay lengthwise on the booth's seating, settled into her stolen bedding. Her breathing was quiet, her pale forehead dotted with sweat.

"_Maybe she's dreaming of Vacuo" _He thought as he saw a small smile playing on her lips. He reluctantly turned away from his friend and headed towards the worn down bar where Vert had already placed a steaming coffee.

"One boring black coffee for you, warrior-man." Vert slid a paper cup across the bar. Clitus caught it in his left hand as he sat with practiced ease. It felt like he had never even left. The same news channel broadcast the same news – Vert smiled his same old smile and the diner had just finished emptying of the same old shoppers and workers."So you have been visiting your father? How is the esteemed Brigadier?" Vert continued to polish glasses in an effort to keep his hands busy.

"Dad's…." Clitus hesitated, "Well he's Dad. Busy, working hard on something I can't know about – always drilling his Steel Storm. I went over there expecting to be alone on the estate more than anything." He took a long drink from the coffee, scolding his throat slightly. After hours sailing from Atlas he had missed decent coffee enough to suffer for it.

"But that was not the case?" Vert probed.

* * *

><p>His father's voice warned him of trusting others, <em>"Talking is giving information. Information is power. Never let anyone have more power than you. Trusting others will always make you weak, only trust what you know – yourself."<br>_

* * *

><p>Clitus just loved Atlas and it's inspirational sayings.<p>

"I ended up being trained by him. It was really nice actually, no military drilling – no other noble brats. He just took me into the woods with all my gear and we lived out there for a month." He shrugged, but Vert stopped in his tracks in disbelief.

"You lived outside of ze kingdoms for a full month? You did this for _training_?" The emphasis on the word highlighted the chef's standpoint.

"Well yeah, I did complete my cadet training and my Dad is 'Lightning' Lord Imperator. Between the two of us it was no big deal."

"No big deal? No big deal? You are crazy warrior-man – crazy! If you were not so stupid some grimm might have had your for breakfast! They probably left you and your father alone because they could smell ze crazy off of you!" The chef was always one for theatrics, but the spittle flying towards him really unnerved Clitus.

_This seems like a sore spot._

"Vert, calm down. We don't want to wake Liara." He downed more coffee as Vert huffed and puffed in an effort to calm down. He rubbed his doughy temples with his fingers in a manner that would be comical on many occasions.

"Yes we wouldn't want to wake your creepy little pet now, would we?" came a smug voice.

Now it was Clitus' turn to rub his temples. The last person he wanted to meet today was Steven Oaktree. "That's rich coming from someone who switched their whole schedule to share classes with me." He retorted as he stared into his cup.

The black expanse stared back as he heard the sound of two barstools being filled.

_Not alone. At least two others._

Vert piped up, a model professional, "Could I help you, perhaps get you a table for four?"

_Four. Probably Krystal and Thomas. Who else would they drag in?_

He tensed his muscles, as he looked up from his cup. A Faunus to his left, Krystal to his right; both of them distracted by Vert doing his job. The Faunus was an unknown element, Clitus doubted he had any personal stake in what had happened.

"I will order when I damn well feel oaf, I'll have you know; I am Oaktree." He sneered. The chef's face lit up in embarrassed rage. He opened his mouth to speak only for Clitus to pre-empt him.

"Don't worry Vert. He's nothing but a brat from a minor house who was almost disowned by his parents because they realized what he really is." Clitus stood from his stool as he finished his coffee. Two long strides effectively separated him from Krytsal and Stephen's gang. That distance could prove the difference between victory and defeat if things came to blows.

"That's rich coming from you, a noble boy who consorts with the trash." The Faunus spat on the floor.

Clitus actually chuckled, "That's funny, coming from you."

The boy's upper lip retreated to show huge canines. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He reached into his trouser pocket and found a pair of fingerless gloves, he began putting them on slowly and methodically. "It means that those 3 see you as nothing but an animal, yet here you are standing by them. What kind of Faunus are you anyway; dog or wolf?" He opened and closed his hands, testing the gloves – they were perfectly weighted and reinforced, Jupiter didn't look like much. But he designed them to be practical as opposed to flashy.

His opponent stepped forward and his friends fanned out. "I am a proud canine; and I'll have you know that Thomas, Krystal and Stephen respect my prowess in battle." He grinned as his teammates replied in assent.

* * *

><p><em>Information is power.<br>_

* * *

><p>"Ah, so you're a guard dog then?" Clitus replied with the smuggest grin he could muster.<p>

The Faunus snarled and lunged – "Never let anyone have any power over you." Clitus muttered as he spun to the side.

He wrapped his forearm around his opponent's neck and stomped on his calf as he spun – forcing his opponent onto one knee and trapping the Faunus in a choke hold easily. "You know, I never had a dog, Stephen. So far, your pet hasn't sold me on the breed." He began to choke the Faunus.

"No fighting in my diner! Take it outside, or I will call the police!" Vert roared his normally jolly face red with anger and embarrassment. The teens ignored him, engrossed in the confrontation.

"You know that we have to get revenge for what you did to us, Clitus. It never had to be this way." Thomas said with an oddly sad look on his face.

"I'll think you'll find it that as soon as Stephen decided to try and shank me – it had to be this way." Clitus retorted. He pushed the Faunus at his teammates, cracking his knuckles. "There was what, 7 of you there? The odds aren't looking quite so good for you today."

Krystal drew a pair of Scimitars; Stephen an elaborate double bladed knife. Thomas hefted what looked like the love child of a claymore and a war hammer while Vert stomped up behind Stephen's team demanding they leave. He bodily tossed Thomas through the back door to the back courtyard with terrifying ease, the door swung back and forth as Stephen pointed his strange knife and Krystal connected her weapons' handles to form some kind of bow and took aim as well.

Clitus dashed forward, his right hand snapping out to the left to strike Stephen's ribs. A heartbeat later he drove his elbow into Krystal's temple, before grabbing her arm and tossing her over the bar. Stephen slashed too high and Clitus simply grabbed his wrist. Stephen balled his left hand into a fist but before he could strike Clitus spun and tossed him on top of Krystal.

He leapt over the bar as a growl escaped the Faunus' throat. He headed towards the back door which had just stopped swinging to and fro. His trademark grin found its way onto his face as he saw all 3 of his opponents scrambling to their feet. "If you three would join me outside, I'll pay you back for every stitch the surgeon put in my hip."

He stepped through the door and felt the cold air on his cheeks. Thomas was holding his weapon low, unsure whether to attack or not.

"They'll be out in a second." He quipped as he walked past.


	3. Let Loose the Hounds

Clitus strolled around the back court with as much bluster as he could. This stupid feud had gone on long enough; he needed to end it definitively with a humiliating victory.

The others were taking longer than expected, probably due to either Krystal or Stephen issuing a verbal dressing down - "So Thomas, why did you end up going along with this? You're hardly the type to take up arms for the sake of it."

The blue haired boy sighed, "See that is exactly what Stephen is talking about. You're so self absorbed that you don't know anything about anyone around you! Even those you say are your friends!" He spat with disgust and hefted his weapon onto his back. He made the maneuver look effortless despite the damage it had done to the ground, and bore the huge weapon on his shoulders easily.

"My family is sworn to the Oaktrees; when Stephen is Lord I will be his Red Leaf – as my father serves his now. If you had ever thought about anything besides your own ambition, you would know that." He pointed an accusing finger. "My master's honor has been stained and we will be the ones to take vengeance." Thomas intoned with stone faced detachment.

Clitus opened his mouth to defend himself, but it was then that the rest of his opponents made their entrance. Stephen took up stance with Thomas, both standing between Clitus and Krystal – whose weapon was still in bow form.

The Faunus held what looked to be some kind of elaborate guitar case. Seemingly ignoring the impending battle, he opened the lid and began assembling something. "Well Clitus, it's over. It's four vs one and you're unarmed. You're not going to trick us again either." Stephen grinned.

Clitus returned the smile, cracking his knuckles for emphasis. He spotted a piece of dried wood and picked it up in one hand. It was nice and solid, a little wetness had set in but it would do the job. The sun fell behind the clouds and the teens were drowning in teeth flashed, Stephen retreated a step – high school sparring taught him that smile was bad news. Thomas' extensive training demanded he protect Stephen. He took a step forward, shielding his master from any impending attack.

"Wood won't win today Imperator." Krystal said.

"Oh I know, I'm just showing you..." He tossed the wood up in the air, watching it flip round slowly.

"That I am far from unarmed." He threw a sharp jab right through the wood, the whole time locking eyes with Krystal.

She fired an arrow, materializing ammunition made from her shimmering silver aura; the other two rushing forward at the signal to attack with coordination that bordered on inhuman.

He dashed forward meeting them halfway, ducking under Thomas' swing. A brief moment of indecision, not even a second.

'_Target Thomas or Stephen?'_ He mused, until his hand shot up to block Stephen's backhanded slash.

The two former friends smiled, forgetting the circumstances, getting into the zone and dancing the familiar dance they had danced throughout their high school. Only this time, the stakes were raised.

Clitus closed in, trying to get past the two blades of Stephen's weapon, but was kept at bay by his erratic fighting style. He had got much better since the last time they fought; he forced Clitus to parry more blows than he dodged.

But one opening was all Clitus needed and Stephen always was too keen to end fights early. He dodged two slashes with side steps and finally slapped away the follow up stab. Stephen's eyes widened and Thomas had a look of horror on his face – the Red Leaf's weapon far too unwieldy to use in such close quarters.

But a silver arrow took Clitus in the back sending him sprawling into the alley. He rolled, digging his feet into the dirt as he slid back, everything beginning to add up.

"So you're calling the shots Krystal?" He charged while Thomas pulled the trigger on his weapon; the blade of the claymore spinning until the titanic warhammer took its hammer swung towards his head with terrifying force and Clitus barely leapt back in time. Forced onto the defensive, he could only dodge as the flat end of the hammer came in time and again.

He gave up too much ground; he tried to kick at Thomas' ribs – only for Stephen to fire the two blades of his knife before hit foot ocnnected. The twin chains wrapped around his bicep keeping him in place and no matter how hard he struggled Stephen held him fast. Krystal lined up her shot, too late Clitus realized the plan had always been for her to exploit any gap in his defence, he frowned, underestimating them had been a mistake.

Krystal launched an arrow straight at his heart as Clitus let his arm go slack, feigning resignation. The arrow shimmered in the air and all eyes followed its path; even Stephen's. This was why Clitus escaped.

In the moment of distraction Clitus yanked his arm as hard as he could, pulling Stephen closer and blocking the arrow with the chain. The back alley filled with light and the broken chains fell to the ground with a dull thud. Clitus rolled his shoulders with a fierce grin on his face.

He ran a hand through his bright red hair as his enemies' jaws dropped, in that moment he was no soldier - but every bit the triumphant child; "A very good try guys. Almost had me; but it's time to end this."

He dashed forward and sunk his fist into Stephen's stomach, ducking Thomas' wild hammer swing on the way. He kicked out at the bodyguard and blocked Stephen's weak punch with his left forearm. He kept his momentum and thrust his palms out to the two boys.

"Told you I was armed." He quipped as metal barbs fired from Jupiter, painfully embedding themselves under skin and a heartbeat later coursing electricity from Jupiter into Stephen and Thomas' fell to the ground in two clouds of dust, groaning and barely conscious. Clenching his fists brought the wires back into place – but he was already in combat with a whirling dervish of steel and fury.

Two scimitars dancing and singing against Jupiter, Krystal was unrelenting and vicious in her assault and she was forcing Clitus to give up ground with every spin and slice. He tried to step inside her guard, but the momentum Krystal had built up prevented him from doing so – if it weren't for her cautious nature she would be a fury on the battlefield, but she didn't have the recklessness necessary to attempt a final blow.

Clitus knew the wall was approaching and fired Jupiter from his left hand. The added weight of the ensnared blade was enough to stumble Krystal's technique and ruin her blade dance's momentum. Clitus yanked the blades down, exposing Krystal to counter attack, an opportunity he exploited with a fist to the face.

He disarmed her and pulled his barbs back into Jupiter, grabbing her right leg and sweeping the other – she was suddenly on her back with ringing ears. He planted his foot on Krystal's stomach and twisted her leg, pushing against aura and years of physical training until eventually the ankle popped with a sickening finality. She just bit her lip all the time he twisted – determined not to scream, she stared into Clitus' eyes with hellfire burning in her stare.

"Well that explains it." The Faunus said, sitting on the case he brought.

He had a huge mace lying across his lap, forged entirely from exquisite blue metal, the mace sprouted cruel yellow fangs that would shred skin bone or armor with ease. The weapon culminated in a rounded spike more commonly seen on shields – giving the wielder the chance to utilize a stab in mid range engagements. It was an impressive weapon: savage, deadly, dangerous and yet there was something distinguished about that barbaric instrument of death.

"Well it explains why I was so confident sure, but I get the feeling you're going to say something else." Clitus snapped.

"It explains why they felt they needed me." The Faunus hefted the mace as he stood.

"You say that like you're a big deal and if you are, I'd like to know whose ass I'm about to kick." Clitus smiled, his whole body thrumming with energy.

The Faunus grinned back, Clitus got the sense he was looking forward to the fight. "I am Liam de Baskerville. I'm a mercenary – originally came from Vacuo, but I'm not going to be let back home anytime soon." The dark skinned dog flashed his teeth. "You might know me as The Hound of Baskerville, it's what the press called me."

Clitus flexed his hands, pacing back and forward – a short kick making sure Krytsal's bow/scimitars were well out of crawling distance; "So not only do I get to embarrass the old gang, I get an actual challenge, too? Man I'm going to miss this place."

"Now then, let's see if you've got enough in the tank to take me on." Liam wondered aloud, his brown eyes already analyzing and calculating the alley. They settled on Clitus as he took a defensive stance; every muscle on his dark skin as taut as a coiled spring. Liam's whole being radiated violence, the only telegraph of his charge was a slight twitch in one of his ears.

_"Okay, it spins when he holds that switch on the handle."_ Clitus noted with detachment. He used both hands to block the first blow and felt his legs tremble from the force.

_"He hits too hard to block, dodging is a priority."_ The second blow was overhand and a thirs and fourth followed quickly. Sidestepping and ducking got him out of danger, but Liam easily swatted away his counter punch with the mace.

His aura took the hit easily, but the speed Liam had shown meant striking and counter striking were out, the only chance he had was to force Liam off balance. The two warriors circled each other, eyes analyzing every inch of each other.

Clitus feinted, throwing a false haymaker but following it up with a right hook that found home – Liam barely staggered before swinging his mace full force. Clitus met the blow with his own, Jupiter clashed with the mace once, twice, thrice and Clitus came off worseeach time. The fourth blow managed to slip through his guard.

* * *

><p>"Sloppy, Clitus" His dad lectured in his head.<p>

* * *

><p>His lecture was cut short as Liam's backhanded blow connected flush with his chest – the flangs of the mace ripped the left side of his shirt clean away, the Imperator crest embroidered there falling into the hit the wall with a terrifying crash, his ears ringing and eyesight blurred. Liam put his mace over his shoulder, casually strolling past his fallen comrades. The mercenary assumed the fight was won and was in no rush to deliver the killing blow.<p>

"_I need to finish this now, or else it's over._" Clitus thought.

He summoned what aura he could, forcing himself out of the wall and falling to one knee. His face contorted in pain as he noticed the wound the mace left on his chest – painful but not life threatening.

"_I still have full movement, I only need three seconds of complacency._"He raised his head, staring defiantly at his executioner. Clitus nursed his left arm and fired Jupiter from his right hand. Liam dodged to the side, barely even breaking stride. The hound whistled a tune.

"You know, I think you were worth coming out of retirement for. Rich kid like Oak there paying me ten times my rate for a very enjoyable little scrap? That's an easy decision." He raised his mace, instinct or training making him extend his left arm for guidance.

"But I got to hold up my end of the deal, nice knowing…" Liam began before being interrupted.

Clitus grabbed his wrist, clamping his right hand around it like a vice. The Faunus hissed in pain, but before he could react Clitus slammed his left palm up under his enemy's bicep.

Liam called out in pain, but Clitus followed it up with a trio of lefts to the chest – driving the wind out of his foe. Liam tried to pull away, Clitus was inside his range – an area where the Atlesian excelled; a final left punch form Clitus sealed Liam's fate. Delivered with military precision to the exact point Liam's shoulder met his left arm – the mercenary howled in pain.

Clitus slipped under his arm and slammed a knee into Liam's back, forcing him to his knees. He locked his arms around the Faunus' throat – cutting off his air, making sure to pull the windpipe upwards to bring the fight to an end powered to his feet, struggling to the last. Clitus wrapped his legs around the mercenary's waist – securing his position and increasing the pressure on the Faunus' windpipe. With his left arm useless Liam had no way to dislodge him.

"You lost this fight Baskerville, all that a military trained grappler needs is three seconds. You gave me seven." Clitus huffed, gasping for breath. His every muscle screamed, but Liam was fading fast, all he needed was a little longer.

"Next time, take me seriously- then we'll see what you've got." He said, adding a bit of aura into his hold – the Faunus collapsed forward unconscious. Sending knives through Clitus' wounded chest. Clitus saw stars, but when he rolled over to his back, he couldn't help but grin.

The sky had turned stormy during the fight and with the rain beginning to fall, small puddles were forming, washing away the blood and silk which had been spilled. For a moment Clitus considered attempting to salvage his crest and the shirt his father had gifted him. Then he realized Liara was sleeping off a good meal while he fought a bunch of noble brats and their pet mercenary.

He pushed the swing door into Vert's feeling five years older than when he walked out into the alley a few minutes earlier. The thrill of battle was fading quick, so he needed an artificial high to replace it.

"Black coffee Vert. Strong as you can please." He asked, ignoring the chef's squeals at his wound.


End file.
